1. Field
The present invention relates to an image sensor and an image processing apparatus including the same, for example, to an image sensor for converting a signal output from a filter array having a different structure than a red-green-blue (RGB) Bayer and outputting an RGB Bayer signal and an image processing apparatus including the same.
2. Description of Related Art
With the high integration of charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices and the rapid development of image processing technology, the digital camera market has rapidly expanded and it has become usual that mobile devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are provided with a digital camera function.
An image processing apparatus captures an image of an object using an image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS device. Image sensors usually use a pixel array in an RGB Bayer pattern as illustrated in FIG. 1. Image sensors include a plurality of unit pixels converting a light signal corresponding to an object into an electrical signal. Each of the unit pixels included in a typical image sensor using the pixel array illustrated in FIG. 1 detects one value among a red (R) value, a green (G) value, and a blue (B) value. The R, G, or B value detected by each unit pixel is converted into a digital signal by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) included in the image sensor and the digital signal is input to an image signal processor (ISP).
The real color of an object can be represented by combining R, G, and B. Data detected by each unit pixel of the image sensor, however, contains information about only one of R, G, and B (such digital data is referred to as RGB Bayer data). Accordingly, the ISP performs color interpolation using R, G, and B data detected by the unit pixels so that a single unit pixel contains all R, G, and B information. Consequently, the ISP processes RGB Bayer data output from the image sensor to provide a signal based on which a display device, e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), can display an image.
Recently, there have been introduced pixel arrays having different patterns from the RGB Bayer pattern illustrated in FIG. 1. When an image sensor uses a pixel array having a pattern different from the RGB Bayer pattern, there occurs a problem in that the image sensor is not compatible with a universal ISP which receives and processes RGB Bayer data.